SouthWest Service Line

Schedules as of Dec 2019 Line at a Glance › 9 in the AM Peak › 6 trains in the Midday › Average Trip Length (2019) : 18.8 miles › 8 trains in the PM Peak › Average Fare Paid (2019) : $4.74 › 7 trains in the Evening › Number of Stations: 12 › 6 trains on Saturdays › Route Length: 40.8 miles › 0 trains on Sundays › Number of Weekday Trains (Dec 2019): 30 › On-Time Performance (2019): 94% › 68% of SWS riders drive to their boarding station. › 9th lowest ridership line › 4% more people live along the SWS than did in 2010. › Oak Lawn is the 31st › 17% more people work along the SWS than did in 2010. busiest outlying station › Ridership is limited by limited service Figure 1: Annual SWS Ridership 3.0 2.66 2.48 2.36 2.5 › 2nd highest share of female riders in the system 2.0 1.64 1.50 1.5 0.92 1.0 Millions 0.5 0.0 Passenger Trips in 83 85 87 89 91 93 95 97 99 01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15 17 19 Year The data included in this document predates the onset of COVID-19, which has greatly impacted ’s riders and operations. This information is presented to inform the public about Metra’s historic and recent operational environment but may not be illustrative of Metra’s current or future operations. For the latest information, visit Metra’s Operations and Ridership Data webpage at metrarail.com.

Table 1: Metra Capital Investment History SWS ($m) System ($m) Table 2: SWS 2018 Weekday Boardings Rolling stock $93 $2,978 Time of Day Inbound Outbound Track and structure $35 $1,567 AM Peak 3,983 30 Signal, electrical, and communications $42 $1,137 Facilities and equipment $23 $685 Midday 362 361 Stations and parking $33 $1,120 PM Peak 97 3,502 Acquisitions, extensions, and expansions $152 $603 Support activities $19 $431 Evening 16 467 TOTAL $397 $8,521 TOTAL 4,458 4,360 PERCENTAGE 4.6% 100.0% Notes: 1) Excludes South Shore, preventative maintenance, new lines, and pending grants. 2) Prior expenses not adjusted for inflation. 3) Data subject Source: 2018 Weekday Station Boardings and Alightings by to budget revisions, audit adjustments, etc. 4) Project costs without specific locations have been allocated to entire lines where appropriate Time-of-Day and Direction TOC INT CBD UPN MDN NCS UPNW MDW UPW BNSF HC SWS RI ME SSL APP 102

ON COVID-19 AND HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENT The information presented in this chapter is representative of Metra’s In this section operations prior to the onset of COVID-19, which upended almost every 1 – Annual Passenger Trips aspect of daily life. While Metra’s pre-COVID services may not be replicated in 2 – SWS Overview the same manner going forward, the transportation services Metra continues 3 – Present and Future Demand to provide are essential to the vitality of the region. 4 – Station Characteristics There are certain elements of Metra’s situational and operational 4 – Mode of Access and Parking environment that are unlikely to change in the short or medium term. These 5 – Reverse Commute and Non- are: the location and capacity of each rail line, the location and physical Downtown Markets characteristics of each station, the characteristics of the communities 6 – Major Capital Projects around each station, Metra’s history in each community, and Metra’s mission 6 – ADA Accessibility to provide safe, reliable, efficient service that enhances the 7 – SWS Corridor Demographics economic and environmental health of northeast . On the other 8 – SWS Corridor Household Data hand, there are operational and situational factors that are likely to be quite 8 – SWS Corridor Employment Data different. These may be: the number of riders, the time and duration of 8 – Major Trip Generators peak travel demand, the public’s perception of the relative safety of various transportation modes, the way riders access and depart from stations, and the location preferences of people and businesses. The challenges posed by the pandemic were significant and likely will result in the emergence of a very different operational environment. Even so, understanding Metra’s past performance, pre-COVID service levels, and established community baselines is vital to making informed decisions about the reality that is taking shape. Through this process Metra will continue to achieve Metra’s mission, realizing its vision, and pursuing its strategic goals.

As part of a regional transportation network, Metra provides safe, reliable, efficient commuter rail service that enhances the economic and environmental health of northeast Illinois. - Metra’s Mission Statement

SWS OVERVIEW Metra’s SouthWest Service (SWS) Line extends 40.8 miles southwest from Chicago (CUS, or “Union Station”) in downtown Chicago to Manhattan, in Will County. It serves 11 intermediate stations in southwest Cook County and north-central Will County (see Figure 2). The service is operated by Metra personnel under a trackage lease agreement with Norfolk Southern (NS), which owns and dispatches the railroad south of 74th Street in Chicago. In 2019, passenger trips on the SWS totaled 2.3 million, ranking ninth among the 11 Metra lines. Two segments of single track limit the operation of more trains on the SWS: a two-mile segment following the Forest Hill interlocking and a 17-mile segment between the 143rd Street and Manhattan stations. TOC INT CBD UPN MDN NCS UPNW MDW UPW BNSF HC SWS RI ME SSL APP 103

PRESENT AND FUTURE DEMAND In 2018, over 8,800 boardings took place each weekday on the SWS, with 84% of boardings occurring on peak-period, peak-direction trains. On the SWS, ridership has more than doubled since 1983 (see Figure 1). Significant ridership gains have occurred at nearly every station along the line. A number of indicators suggest that demand for commuter rail service will continue to rise in the SWS corridor. The burgeoning southwest suburbs, and in particular, suburbs in Will County, have seen phenomenal growth in population and employment. As shown in Tables 3, 4, and 5, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) 2050 forecasts illustrate this continued trend. All outlying SWS station marketsheds are forecast to see increases in population, households and employment, with a 22% increase in population expected between 2020 to 2050. In the southernmost SWS marketsheds, from Laraway Road to Manhattan, CMAP projects a greater than 75% increase in population. Figure 3 shows the origins of SWS riders boarding at stations outside of downtown Chicago. Overall passenger ridership on the SWS totaled 2.36 million in 2019. Approximately 5,500 parking spaces serve the riders of the SWS. According to Metra’s 2018 parking counts, the line’s effective parking rate is 52%. FIGURE 2: METRA STATIONS ON THE SWS LINE TO C

TABLE 4: 2019 MODE OF ACCESS AND TABLE 3: SWS STATION CHARACTERISTICS INT 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Stations opened in 2006 in opened Stations 1995 in opened Station 1990 in opened Station 2004 in opened Station Observed use: spaces physically occupied during parking survey parking during occupied physically spaces use: Observed unoccupied if even used, be to assumed are spaces permit sold all use: Effective Includes carpool passengers Includes carpool drivers dot Acomplete system. dot athree using displayed is information Accessibility

during parking survey during parking ADA to guidelines. conform fully not may shelters and buildings windows, ticket ramps, However, street. the from platforms access to able be will stations accessible partially at wheelchairs use who Customers accessible. partially is station the means dot Ahollow sible. inacces is station the that means dot No accessible. fully is station the means 2018 COMMUTER PARKING AT SWS METRA STATIONS Oak Lawn Ashburn Wrightwood Union Station Station TOTAL SWS Manhattan Laraway Road 179th St./Orland Park 153rd St./Orland Park 143rd St./Orland Park Palos Park Palos Heights Worth Chicago Ridge Manhattan Laraway Road 179th St./OrlandPark 153rd St./OrlandPark 143rd St./OrlandPark Palos Park Palos Heights Worth Chicago Ridge Oak Lawn Ashburn Wrightwood Union Station TOTAL SWS Station Name SYSTEM TOTAL CBD 5 11 2 5 UPN 10 3 4 MDN Walk/Bike 1 NCS Zone Fare 26% 15% 17% 16% 11% 31% 17% 32% 13% 42% D D D D H A C C E E E F I 8% 0% 5% 7% 3% Post Mile 40.8 35.8 28.9 25.2 23.6 20.3 19.2 18.2 16.8 15.2 12.6 11.9 UPNW 0.0 Drive 54% 68% Metra Metra Metra Metra Metra NS NS Metra Metra Metra Multiple Multiple Metra 69% 67% 56% 79% 67% 74% 83% 77% 45% 68% 53% 68% Mode ofAccessMode 6 5% Responsibility and Responsibility Platform MDW Maintenance Dropped Off Multiple Metra Muni Multiple Multiple Multiple Multiple Multiple Muni Metra Metra Metra Multiple -

Depot UPW (2019) visit Metra’s Data Operations webpage andRidership at metrarail.com. not beillustrative ofMetra’s current orfuture operations. For the latest information, inform thepublicaboutMetra’s historic andrecent operational environment butmay has greatly Metra’s impacted andoperations. riders This information ispresented to Note: Survey, 2018 Use and Capacity Origin-Destination Parking Survey, and Fall Station 2019; Metra 2014, Fall 2018. and Spring Metra, Fall 2006, Counts,” Boarding/Alighting Station Sources: 11 10 16% 16% 23% 33% 26% 15% 16% 18% 14% 11% 23% 14% 15% 14% Line total does not include downtown terminal downtown include not does total Line Includes riders boarding on all Metra lines departing from station from departing lines Metra all on boarding riders Includes Multiple Metra Muni Multiple Multiple Multiple Multiple Multiple Muni Multiple Metra n/a Multiple 9% 7 The data includedinthisdocument predates theonsetofCOVID-19, which

BNSF Metra 1983Metra Boarding/Alighting “Commuter Counts. Metra, Rail System Parking Transit 28% 4% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 3% 1983 1,437 2,883 135 204 227 443 244 130 HC 63 ------Other 16% 1% 1% 0% 0% 1% 1% 1% 0% 0% 1% 1% 1% 0% 1% 2006 1,157 4,327 8,811 SWS 209 715 234 387 281 445 406 321 296 Boardings 22 11 Capacity 5,498 1364 248 299 319 417 350 500 467 439 773 142 180 Station Parking RI 2016 1,329 4,503 9,103 0 201 604 548 432 238 419 339 218 226 24 22 Effective Use ME 100% 52% 34% 41% 69% 81% 32% 52% 49% 49% 73% 2018 1,186 4,327 8,818 n/a 4% 5% 208 544 591 424 232 406 372 229 261 8 19 19 (2018) Observed UseObserved SSL Dec 2019 station asof each serving trains Weekday 50% 28 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 29 29 30 34% 41% 69% 81% 32% 52% 28% 96% 49% 73% 30 n/a 4% 5% 4 4 APP 9 10 4 TOC INT CBD UPN MDN NCS UPNW MDW UPW BNSF HC SWS RI ME SSL APP 105

REVERSE-COMMUTE AND NON-DOWNTOWN MARKETS Although Metra’s primary market involves commuters who follow the traditional suburb-to-CBD trip pattern, many lines Metra have seen some Terms Defined demand for city-to-suburb reverse-commute options (Metra’s primary commuter market is discussed in the Central Business District chapter). “Reverse-commuters” are those who However, the SWS is dominated by traditional suburb-to-CBD commuters travel in the opposite direction of the and has not experienced the volume of reverse-commute ridership that has majority of riders in a particular service been seen on some Metra lines. According to Metra’s 2018 Boarding and period. “ Alighting Count, less than 1% of AM peak boardings on the SWS are in the reverse (outbound) direction, far below the system average of 5.8%. Very few “Alighting Riders” are those who get AM alightings take place at non-CBD, SWS stations, as shown in Figure 3. off the train. They are the opposite of a “boarding rider.” Factors that increase reverse-commute trip patterns are the growth of population in the city and inner suburbs as well as the growth of employment in the suburbs (see Tables 3, 4, and 5). These trends may change as employment growth in the suburbs along the SWS is projected to be strong during this bewteen now and 2050. These opportunities may draw commuters from beyond the immediate downtown Chicago station area as well. Employment along the entire SWS is expected to increase an additional 21% by 2050 after increasing 17% between 2010 and 2020. The most substantial growth was and will be concentrated near the southern end of the corridor. FIGURE 3: NON-DOWNTOWN DESTINATIONS DURING AM PEAK

Note: Given low alighting numbers for the entire line. The highest are labeled. TOC INT CBD UPN MDN NCS UPNW MDW UPW BNSF HC SWS RI ME SSL APP 106

MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECTS ALONG THE SWS Since 1985, Metra has invested $397 million (in year of expenditure dollars) in improvements to the SWS corridor. Table 1 indicates the amount of investment in different asset categories. This amount includes the 1990 and 1995 extensions, as well as the 2006 line upgrade and extension to Manhattan. Over the years, Metra has partnered with , owner of CUS, to complete a number of upgrades to the terminal’s commuter facilities. For more information on proposed CUS improvements, see the CBD chapter of this report. The 2006 upgrade project, which cost a total of $198 million, was funded in large part with a New Starts grant from the Federal Transit Administration. The project included extension of the route to Manhattan with an intermediate station at Laraway Road/New Lenox, doubling of service to 30 trains per day, a new coach yard in Manhattan to supplement the existing yard at 179th Street in Orland Park, installation of a second track between Palos Park and 143rd Street in Orland Park, and other track and signal improvements. The project also included the extension of station platforms with significant improvements at several stations, major parking expansion, and two new trainsets. As part of the project, the 143rd Street, 153rd Street, Ashburn, Oak Lawn, and Palos Park stations were rehabilitated and expanded to accommodate the ridership growth projected to follow the doubling in service. All SWS stations comply with the accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Metra’s station compliance program started with designating four of the busiest SWS stations, including CUS in downtown Chicago, as “key stations”, all of which were made fully accessible by 2001. PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS The 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project (CIP) is the largest project in the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program, a package of 70 projects designed to improve the efficiency of passenger and freight rail operations in the region. Using a combination of bridges and embankment, a new track segment would be built. In conjunction with the installation of two rail-rail grade separations, conflicts between Metra and freight traffic will be reduced, improving reliability for both types of rail service. The CREATE Program estimates that when the project is completed in 2025, it will eliminate 32,000 annual passenger hours of delay from rail travel in the region. Metra, along with its CREATE Program partners, have prioritized the 75th St. CIP project, which is the largest in the CREATE Program In 2018, the project received a $132 million federal grant, but additional funding will be required to complete the project, which is projected to cost nearly $1 billion. Metra is exploring a reroute of SWS trains to RI tracks, which would allow SWS trains to access the LaSalle Street Station rather than CUS, relieving congestion and releasing capacity for expanded intercity rail service. The project would significantly reduce travel times for SWS riders, but additional funding will be need to accomplish this reroute.. TOC INT CBD UPN MDN NCS UPNW MDW UPW BNSF HC SWS RI ME SSL APP 107

FIGURE 4 ORIGINS OF RIDERS USING NON-CBD SWS STATIONS

A

TABLE 5: SWS CORRIDOR POPULATION Population in Zone Percent Change Fare Area Station Zone Sq. Mi. 2010 2020 2050 2010 vs 2020 vs 2020 2050 Union Station A 0.3 2,895 4,834 4,851 67% 0% Wrightwood, Ashburn C 20.3 223,409 231,939 259,964 4% 12% Oak Lawn, Chicago Ridge, Worth, Palos Hts D 33.2 153,971 170,060 195,181 10% 15% Palos Park, 143rd St., 153rd St. E 47.6 82,697 81,505 96,552 -1% 18% 179th St. F 19.4 22,772 23,713 33,671 4% 42% Laraway Road H 31.2 19,807 17,654 31,028 -11% 76% Manhattan I 276.2 37,831 36,012 66,702 -5% 85% SWS TOTAL 428.2 543,382 565,717 687,949 4% 22% REGION TOTAL 3,748.0 8,523,863 8,672,509 10,354,840 2% 19% TOC INT CBD UPN MDN NCS UPNW MDW UPW BNSF HC SWS RI ME SSL APP 108

TABLE 6: SWS CORRIDOR HOUSEHOLDS Households in Zone Percent Change Fare Area Station Zone Sq. Mi. 2010 2020 2050 2010 vs 2020 vs 2020 2050 Union Station A 0.3 1,859 2,872 2,642 54% -8% Wrightwood, Ashburn C 20.3 65,439 67,013 77,960 2% 16% Oak Lawn, Chicago Ridge, Worth, Palos Hts D 33.2 59,589 67,184 81,464 13% 21% Palos Park, 143rd St., 153rd St. E 47.6 29,078 31,712 40,259 9% 27% 179th St. F 19.4 7,629 8,929 13,710 17% 54% Laraway Road H 31.2 6,365 6,055 11,968 -5% 98% Manhattan I 276.2 13,444 14,068 29,276 5% 108% SWS TOTAL 428.2 183,403 197,833 257,279 8% 30% REGION TOTAL 3,748.0 3,100,987 3,341,064 4,140,227 8% 24%

TABLE 7: SWS CORRIDOR EMPLOYMENT

Employment in Zone Percent Change Fare Area Station Zone Sq. Mi. 2010 2020 2050 2010 vs 2020 vs 2020 2050 Union Station A 0.3 67,495 82,500 89,365 22% 8% Wrightwood, Ashburn C 20.3 39,141 45,211 55,084 16% 22% Oak Lawn, Chicago Ridge, Worth, Palos Hts D 33.2 57,787 69,998 83,277 21% 19% Palos Park, 143rd St., 153rd St. E 47.6 35,554 33,833 40,032 -5% 18% 179th St. F 19.4 3,765 5,714 8,720 52% 53% Laraway Road H 31.2 2,899 3,106 6,991 7% 125% Manhattan I 276.2 7,406 11,087 20,874 50% 88% SWS TOTAL 428.2 214,047 251,449 304,343 17% 21% REGION TOTAL 3,748.0 4,141,355 4,231,961 4,945,892 2% 17%

The data included in this document predates the onset of COVID-19, which has greatly impacted Metra’s riders and operations. This information is presented to inform the public about Metra’s historic and recent operational environment but may not be illustrative of Metra’s current or future operations. For the latest information, visit Metra’s Operations and Ridership Data webpage at metrarail.com.

TABLE 8: MAJOR TRIP GENERATORS ACCESSIBLE ALONG THE UP-W CORRIDOR

Generator Type Name Comments Municipality

Airports Midway Airport Commercial aviation; second-busiest airport in Illinois Chicago Colleges and Moraine Valley Community 15,000 students Palos Hills Universities College Robert Morris University One of seven Illinois campuses Orland Park Culture and Children's Museum in Oak Lawn Children's museum Oak Lawn Entertainment SeatGeek Stadium Hosts Chicago Red Stars soccer games & other events Bridgeview Shopping Super-regional mall Chicago Chicago Ridge Mall Super-regional mall Chicago Ridge Super-regional mall Orland Park